INEC Extends Deadline for Party Membership Registers to 1st April, Ahead of 2027 Elections

Oru Leonard 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has extended the deadline for the submission of political parties’ registers of members, citing the need to align its timetable with legal provisions and parties’ primary election schedules.

In a statement issued on Friday, INEC explained that the decision followed concerns raised during its meeting with political parties on March 24, 2026, regarding the earlier timeline set between April 1 and April 21, 2026.

According to the Commission, the adjustment became necessary to ensure compliance with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which mandates that political parties must submit their membership registers at least 21 days before conducting their primaries.

INEC noted that political parties have now been given the flexibility to conduct their primaries within the approved window of April 23 to May 30, 2026. Consequently, the deadline for submitting membership registers has been shifted from April 21 to May 10, 2026.
“The Commission agreed to adjust the period to align the statutory 21 days with the actual dates fixed by political parties for their primaries,” the statement read.
INEC emphasized that strict adherence to the revised timeline is critical to ensuring a smooth and credible electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Commission also urged political parties to take full advantage of the adjustment to properly organize their internal processes and avoid last-minute complications.

The statement was signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee.